Overview

• The review in Nutrition & Diabetes pooled 14 clinical trials and found an average 1.9 kg (4.2 lb) reduction versus placebo in adults with type 2 diabetes.
• Greater effects appeared in participants with BMI under 30 and in people with prediabetes, who saw about 2.5 kg weight loss and nearly 3 cm smaller waists.
• Doses ranged from 80 to 2,100 mg daily over 8 to 36 weeks using standard or enhanced-absorption curcumin or turmeric, with modest waist and hip reductions but minimal BMI or body fat changes.
• Subgroup signals suggested stronger outcomes with more than 1,500 mg per day and use beyond 22 weeks, though study designs and formulations varied.
• Authors judged overall evidence quality low, and clinicians advise consulting providers due to possible drug interactions and variable product bioavailability, with the approach discussed as a supplement to established options such as GLP-1 therapies.